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4 Best moments from Braves versus Dodgers since 2018

What do you consider to be the best moment from this rivalry? There was countless moments to choose from, so we did our best to rank these lasting memories.

By Chase Owens |
Championship Series - Los Angeles Dodgers v Atlanta Braves - Game Six
Championship Series - Los Angeles Dodgers v Atlanta Braves - Game Six / Michael Zarrilli/GettyImages
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Since the 2018 season the Atlanta Braves and the Los Angeles Dodgers have had countless battles. There has never been a lack of storylines, nor talented baseball players when these two clubs squared off.

Last season it seemed as if we were headed for our third straight installment of a Braves vs. Dodgers NLCS. However, the Phillies and Padres had other ideas. With each team winning one NLCS a piece, perhaps this year is the year we get a tiebreaker series between the two powerhouses.

Regardless of what the future holds, these two teams have provided us with plenty of great memories to look back on. So let’s wait no further and take a look back at the 4 best moments from Braves versus Dodgers since 2018.

One last thing, because this is a Braves website don’t expect any Dodgers highlights listed here. Sorry Dodger fans, if I just don’t fancy reliving any memories I have of seeing Craig Kimbrel warming up in the bullpen while Juan Uribe rounds the bases.

4. Ronald Acuña Jr. belts grand slam in 2018 NLDS

The 2018 season was a lot of things for the Atlanta Braves. Firstly, it was their first NL East division title since 2013. After a four-year rebuild and one new ballpark, the Braves found themselves back atop the NL East standings.

That would not have been possible without the arrival of their young phenom outfielder, Ronald Acuña Jr. This season Ronald finds himself in the MVP discussion, but in 2018 Ronald was debuting his talent to the baseball world in route to his NL Rookie of the Year award.

In this Braves/Dodgers moment, the young phenom takes center stage. It was the first home playoff game for Atlanta since 2013 and they were already down 2-0 to LA in the best-of-five NLDS.

In the bottom of the second, Dodgers starter Walker Buehler was struggling with his command. He just issued a walk to Braves starter Sean Newcomb, and quickly got down 3-0 to the NL ROY. The 3-0 pitched missed way high, but the umpire called it strike anyway.

After I let a few NSFW words out Ronald stepped back in the box and delivered. As the great Rasheed Wallace once said, “Ball don’t lie”. And goodness did that ball ever tell the truth, as Ronald belted a grand slam over the left field wall to send Truist Park in a frenzy.

Then we got a glimpse of just how hard it is to keep the Dodgers down. Just as we’ve seen too many times, L.A. fought their way back tying the game at 5. Thankfully, Freddie Freeman hit a home run and Atlanta held on for a 6-5 win to keep this memory from spoiling. We don’t need to mention the rest of this series.

3. Ozzie to Melancon create their Montana to Rice connection

The 2020 season was a VERY odd one to say the least. The world was suffering the effects of the Corona virus, and the baseball world was no different. The season was delayed, and once it did get started it was a 60-game sprint of a regular season.

The playoffs eventually came, albeit an expanded version where eight teams made it in each league. However, it did feel like MLB got the best possible matchup when the Braves and Dodgers squared off in the NLCS.

The entire series was back and forth, as both these clubs were evenly matched. The Braves took an intense game one thanks to a ninth inning home run from Austin Riley. Ozzie Albies also, provided a ninth inning homer which landed in closer, Mark Melancon’s glove and extended the Braves lead.

On the next night the Braves offense kept on humming and once again in the ninth inning, Ozzie Albies provided some extra insurance. Once again, Ozzie’s home run ball landed in Melancon’s glove leading to an awesome reaction from the Braves closer.

Atlanta won this game and took a nice 2-0 series lead in the NLCS. Again, we REALLY don’t need to mention the rest of this series.

2. Eddie Rosario becomes Super Eddie Rosario

I have seen some players get on some impressive heaters before. In fact, the Dodgers own Mookie Betts is having an August for the ages as we speak. But what baseball fans saw from Eddie Rosario in the 2021 NLCS will live on forever.

Seeing an established superstar carry a team in October isn’t necessarily something to be shocked about. We saw Phillies star, Bryce Harper do so in last year’s NLCS. However, when you see a guy with a career 103 wRC+ put together one of the most impressive postseason performances ever, you have to rank it high on this list.

The numbers he put up were simply historic. No matter which arm the Dodgers turned to they did not have an answer. A lot of hits, a game two walk-off single, and a game winning home run in the final game later, Eddie Rosario took home the 2021 NLCS MVP award and forever cemented himself in Braves history. Not bad for a guy acquired at the trade deadline.

We are going to talk about the rest of this series. In fact, our top moment just so happens to be from the same one.

1. Tyler Matzek turns himself into a Braves postseason hero

We mentioned the unexpected becoming royalty in the eyes of fans with our last ranking of Rosario. Our top moment is the pinnacle of just that. I’ve heard Braves fans go as far as saying it’s the single greatest postseason moment in Braves history. I’m certainly not here to argue otherwise.

To give this story it’s proper good feels you have to give some context. Our hero, Tyler Matzek, was out of baseball entirely for five years before he earned his way onto the Braves 2020 roster. He battled the yips and was at the brink of losing his baseball career before he opened eyes in Atlanta’s 2020 spring training.

In 2020 Matzek was reestablishing himself a major leaguer. By 2021 his high velocity fastball and wipeout breaking ball had turned him into a serious weapon for manager Brain Snitker. And in the biggest moment of the postseason it was Matzek who was trusted to come up clutch.

The Braves held a 3-2 series lead and were looking to clinch a trip to the World Series on their home-field. Eddie Rosario provided them with a 4-2 lead in game six and the game reached the seventh inning.

As we’ve said before the Dodgers refused to lie down and accept defeat. In the seventh they mounted a rally getting runners on second and third with no one out off of Luke Jackson. As a fan born in 1996, every possible bad outcome raced through my head. The Dodgers were going to comeback in this game and from down 3-1 in the series for the second year in a row weren’t they?

In stepped our hero. The man who single-handedly allowed an entire fanbase to breathe a sigh of relief. As I’m sure many of you know by now the rest is history, but just for fun feel free to relive that moment in the video posted below.

Still get chills? Yep, me too. Matzek struck out three straight Dodgers hitters and Truist Park erupted. That reaction from Matzek, that reaction from every Braves fan in that stadium, and watching at home was priceless. And that is why it is the top moment in this high intensity rivalry.

Of course this is a list made in 2023, so I won’t be surprised if I find myself writing a new one in a few years time.

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